Haddin puzzled by unexpected outbreak of Ashes civility

The all-smiling, ever-entertaining Blackcaps have left town and England’s principal trash talker has called for the Ashes to played in a more convivial manner, but still sledging remains the favoured talking point for the upcoming Test series.

Either side of perennial provocateur James Anderson’s call for the coming five Tests to be played in the same “positive” spirit as the enthralling recent Test and ODI series against New Zealand, the UK media has been punctuated with past and current players taking their turn for a pot shot.

Graeme Swann’s suggestion that Nathan Lyon should be targeted as he is the “weakest link” in Australia’s bowling line-up, and his subsequent suggestion the technique that’s carried Steve Smith to number one Test batsman in the world is inadequate for England’s conditions and bowling.

Which in turn prompted England fast bowler Stuart Broad to suggest the home team’s Ashes hopes had been inestimably improved by Smith’s rise to number three in the batting order – which is seemingly unrelated to his climb up the global rankings.

The ‘let’s take the gamesmanship out of the game and put it in the press’ approach has bemused the Australians, none more so than wicketkeeper Brad Haddin the man who most demonstrably sneered in the face of NZ’s charm offensive during a sometimes prickly World Cup final earlier this year.

Haddin, as hard-nosed a competitor as international cricket has known, concedes he has been genuinely mystified by a few issues since arriving in England a fortnight ago from Australia’s fleeting tour of the West Indies.

Topping that list is the apparently sudden switch away from the uncompromising, combative nature of Ashes contests of recent decades to the caring, sharing ambience that has settled over the game since practiced by the New Zealanders.

“I don't understand where they're coming from with this,” Haddin said yesterday about the outpouring of niceness, struggling to form his incredulity into words.

“I don't understand this pleasant … I don't know what it is.

“I don't know what I'm meant to say to it – if you could explain to me what it is …”

His voice trails off as he seemingly ponders how the game could have reached this point. 

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Part of Haddin’s bewilderment is driven by his view that the five Ashes campaigns of which he’s been a part – including the famous 2005 series in the UK where he did not play a Test – have been fiercely fought on the field but that relations between the teams have remained civil.

Consequently, he’s not sure what the new ‘friendlier than thou’ approach will demonstrably alter other than perceptions from afar.

“There will be times when confrontations may happen, times when players will be uncomfortable out there - whether it be facing guys bowling at 150km/h or (whatever),” he said.

“But in every series I've played against England they've been highly competitive (matches) and it's a different brand of cricket you do play.

“The pressures that you're under in an Ashes campaign, from my point of view, is totally different to any other series you play.

“You can only really compare it to a World Cup.

“But at the end of every series I've played - win, lose or draw - the doors to the opposition team have always been open at the end of the series.

“Both teams have gone in and enjoyed a beer together.

“The cricket should be fierce and it should be played in the right spirit, which it always is.”

Image Id: ~/media/63CCCFF29E1342C28D4D850D0D0EAEFB

Haddin taking a screamer // Getty Images

If Haddin and the Australians are puzzled by the unexpected outbreak of civilities between the game’s oldest rivals, then they are also taking the opportunity to have a bit of fun at their hosts’ expense.

One sharp-eyed television reporter noted the white board produced before each training session that lists the program of activities to be undertaken now carries a redrawn headline that reads ‘Remember – Sledge Free Tour’.

And several of Haddin’s teammates have wondered aloud about the wisdom of targeting Smith and the fact that his move to number three will be an advantage for England given the 26-year-old – in his first series at the pivotal batting role – averaged 141.5 with a top score of 199 in the Caribbean.

Particularly when, at the same time though in home conditions, England’s number three Gary Ballance averaged 9 with a series high of 29 in two Tests against New Zealand while their best-performed batsmen across all formats of the game Joe Root remains at number five.

“I think it’s quite funny that they’re talking about the number one player in the world (Smith) who has played in all conditions,” Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson noted yesterday.

“They can talk all they like but he’s put the runs on the board, with a swinging ball and a moving ball against some of the best attacks in the world so I don’t think he’s fazed about that.

“He’s done an exceptional job batting at number three for us, so whether they (England) want to bring their best player up to number three that’s their decision.”

Haddin also couldn’t resist a dig at the wave of optimism that has swept England in the wake of their team’s triumph in the five match ODI series against the Blackcaps that followed the Test matches, largely the result of the entertaining, attacking cricket produced by both teams.

While this came as no surprise to anyone who has watched NZ as they blazed their way through the World Cup Final last March, it has been received as a breath of cool air in a suddenly warm summer after England played a stodgy, cautious brand of one-day cricket leading up to and during the showpiece tournament.

“I don't really understand the hype around that one-day series,” Haddin said, once again metaphorically scratching his head.

“I don't understand what the excitement is about, what this new found-form England found in that format.

“We'd just come off the World Cup and everyone (international team) had played - it was just like they (England) were a couple of months too late.

“We played them in the first game of the World Cup when it counted and the pressure was on.

“So I don't really understand the talk - did they not enjoy cricket before then? I don't know.

“I don't really get where they are coming from.

“That might be my naivety.”

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